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Description

x.∷PASTRY CHEF▸┇ great at baking sweets and other like productsx.∷EMPATHY▸┇ able to sense/read emotions fairly easilyx.∷???▸┇ [ locked ]x.∷POTENTIAL▸┇ [ locked ] blood enhances the ability of a vampire significantly

≼Personality≽

Cassandra is a bright person—cheerful in a way that almost seems infectious, and she always seems to have a smile on her face. Despite some awkwardness as a child, she's mostly outgrown those eccentricities as an adult, however; she tends to get a bit of an aloof appearance from time to time—almost as if she were not quite here, on this plane. Daydreamer would be a more, polite term for it, but the truth is she has a lot on her mind. Trying to manage a bakery and fulfill special orders, takes a lot out of her. If she's not constantly keeping her work on her mind, she often forgets things—such as taking proper care of herself. It's nothing too serious, but it is obvious when something is out of place, like a stray hair, or when she doesn't get enough sleep and there are bags beneath her eyes.

Generally a warm-hearted person, Cass wears her heart on her sleeve rather than locking it away. It was something she learned as she got older—that it was better for people to know her. This was easier, letting people know who she was rather than they form an opinion that wasn't quite true. She speaks her mind freely, if anything, but isn't quite a social butterfly. She's a bit on the shy side for that, but she is honest to a fault. Perhaps not in a mean way; she's not looking to intentionally hurt someone's feelings. It's just how she expresses herself. Her father and mother encouraged it when she was younger, and it did help her out of her shell. She's not adverse to a white lie every-so-often, though—she's not that naïve.

There is a charm about her, though, one that draws people to her like a moth to a flame. It comes naturally, even without her understanding, however; it's been good for her business. Perhaps it's the way she carries herself, a sort of gentleness laced with the kind of warmth one might find with a friend. Or perhaps it's the way she just smiles at people, like it's the most natural thing in the world for her. Perhaps it is, but Cass has given up trying to understand the smaller quirks to her personality. They're a part of her, and so she accepts that. She just does her best to keep her strangeness from throwing people off, or bringing unwanted attention. For all it's worth, having too much attention on herself makes her a little uncomfortable. It's strange to know that she's managed to run a business successfully, because of it.

Perhaps most of all, though, Cass is herself. She doesn't try to pretend to be anyone else, and the notion of even thinking about it is laughable. She's quite comfortable in her own skin, and it shows in how she carries herself. There's a sort of confident stride hidden behind the warmth and gentleness, and a sort of peace. She's not narcissistic about it, and is quite humble. She let's her actions speak for her whenever she cannot find the words to express herself, and she does so in a manner that isn't intimidating or off-putting. It has taken her some time to come to terms with herself—she is rather odd-looking to some people—but she is happy. She hides any pain or sadness from those she cares about, and would prefer to be the person that people came to. She loves listening to people and their stories. It's quite fascinating learning about someone else's life.

≼History≽

Cassandra didn't know her birth parents. She spent the first five years of her life, growing up in an orphanage. It never seemed to bother her, though—she was a young child always surrounded by people. And it wasn't like knowing who her parents were was a thought that crossed her mind. Even as a child, Cassandra was a bit strange—quieter than most children, keeping to herself, playing the orphanage's piano, or indulging in the books that were available to her. She loved learning new things, and was always eager to do so. Unfortunately, this made her a bit of a social outcast. She wasn't playing with the other children, and didn't seem too interested in interacting with them. There was one other child, slightly older than her by a year or two, who managed to befriend her.

She spent a lot of time with them, reading books together, comparing the heroes or villains in such a way that was more an intellectual stimulation than anything—about as intellectual as it can be for young children, anyway. Regardless, she was sad to be separated when she was eventually adopted. A young couple, James Aldric, and his wife, were in the market of adopting a child. Alice could have no children of her own, and she wanted more than anything to be a mother. When they met Cassandra, they were immediately charmed by her quaint, eccentric behavior. Once it was finalized, Cassandra was taken to the town of Sanctuary, where the Aldric's lived. Perhaps it was something in the air, or the home feeling, however; something managed to bring Cassandra out of her shell, so to speak.

She was a much more lively child, making friends as easily as it was to breathe air, and becoming acquainted to the life of a normal child. The thing she loved most, however, was helping her mother out in the kitchen. She loved baking things, and learning the recipe's her mother had to share. She learned that she was quite good at it. Neighbors began ordering things from her, and when she was a teenager, she helped out with her father's bakery. He'd opened it when she was ten years old to help her with her creativity, and it seemed that people really enjoyed her products.

When she was old enough to actually work, Cass began saving up what little money she could. She wanted to open up her own bakery, to share her pastries with everyone that cared to try them. It was a dream that she wanted to make into a reality. When she graduated high school, she went to a culinary arts college outside of Sanctuary. After college, Cass moved back to Sanctuary where she took over her father's business. He wanted to retire from it, and opened a general goods store to help keep supplies stocked.

Not only did that help Cass with buying supplies from nearby, it also helped some of the local restaurants.

Café Nova has managed to flourish under Cass's management, and she's managed to hire at least three other people to help her with the place. Over the course of three years, Café Nova has become something of a hot-spot, and even receives orders from nearby towns. Cass is extremely proud of her bakery, and hopes to one day open her own line of pastries. She's recently put that dream on hold, though. Her mother passed almost two weeks ago, and she's been helping her father pay for the funeral arrangements. She misses her mother dearly, but she hopes to make the woman proud.

For now, she'll satisfy herself with her business and making sure people are happy.

So begins...

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Cassandra pulled the black coat a little closer to her body. It was unusually cold this morning, even for it to be on the last remnants of autumn. It didn't bother her too much; she'd always enjoyed the cold weather. She glanced to her side, noting the tired look on Lucian's face as he trailed slowly beside her. She wasn't that much shorter than him—keeping up with his strides wasn't an issue—but the look on his face had her pursing her lips together. His hair, bright rose and usually well-kept, seemed a little disheveled. If he was going for the messy tail look, he didn't have it quite down. It suited his handsome features, though, she would give him that.

His eyes, usually a bright ruby color, seemed a little more on the dull side. “Luc," she called out, making her voice seem as quiet as possible as to not startle him. “Have you been getting enough sleep?" she asked, causing him to turn his attention towards her. He smiled, a bit rueful if she were being honest, and nodded his head.

“It's not sleep that I'm lacking," he began, a soft yawn escaping him as he moved his hand to cover his mouth. “I just have a few things I need to take care of, and time seems to get away from me," he responded, earning a scowl from Cassandra.

“That's the same thing as not getting enough sleep, Luc," she replied, but dropped the subject. She wasn't going to get any more information out of him—she ought to just drop the subject, now. He chuckled softly beside her, though, and yawned a bit more deeply this time. Cass resisted the urge to roll her eyes and settled for fumbling the keys in her pocket. She only lived a few blocks away, and walking to work seemed like the more plausible thing to do. Lucian lived in an apartment complex not too far from Nova, and always made it a point to walk with her. She didn't mind; it was nice walking with someone. It was also nice that he didn't feel the need to fill the silence with awkward conversation.

They spoke when they wanted to, and remained silent when it was appropriate. It took them a few more minutes before they reached the establishment of Café Nova, and Cassandra unlocked the front door, pushing it open so that she could enter. Lucian was right behind her, making his way towards the back where the employee lockers were located. It was still a little early, and they had about an hour to set up shop. Darcy and the others would be arriving soon as well, to help out with the preparations.

“Hey Luc, can you—"

“Already prepping the coffee and espresso machine. Also got the oven preheating for the pastries," he interjected before she could finish her sentence. She smiled and shook her head.

Rashid smiled, holding his hands behind his back as he trudged through the community of Sanctuary. It was a quaint town, small in a way that seemed almost boorish. And he did so enjoy the atmosphere. There were a few smells that were intriguing to him, however; a particular scent—two if he were being honest with himself—managed to catch his attention. A peculiar woman with hair as white as fresh snow, walked calmly beside a man who was, perhaps, a couple of inches taller than Rashid, himself. He had blush rose hair, tied loosely in a half-tail.

He'd have found it attractive if it weren't for the scents currently occupying his senses. “My, my..." he stated to himself. He'd left the other members of the coven to their own devices. They had their orders: find the alpha ghoul and the reason why so many of them were currently situated in this particular town. They could do that and have some fun, right? With that in mind, Rashid followed the two individuals. If he had to compare their scents, he would have to say they resembled roses and lilacs, respectively.

“How lovely." They'd entered a small bakery shop titled Café Nova, though the name itself was slightly strange. Did the owner intend for the shop to die in a beautiful explosion? He forgot how strangely sentimental humans could be. He's lived for nearly two millennia; his older sister lived for nearly three. He could see the shop was still closed, and instead, decided to perch himself in one of the alleyway corners. He could blend into the shadows from there and wait until the bakery opened in the next hour. A creature of habit, he supposed.

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Darcy pulled into the small parking lot behind Cafe Nova, grabbing her coat and backpack from the passengers seat. Walking up to the back door, she gave it a small tug. Still locked. She pulled her coat tighter and started to walk around the building. These mornings weren’t the easiest for her. The cold, sure, that was fine, but it was the mist in the mountains up here that really sunk into your bones. She rounded the corner and-

She turned on her heel, peering out across the dim street. The sun hadn’t risen over the mountains yet, and a lacy mist was still settled over the town. No one was there. Of course no one was there. It was an hour before even the bakery opened, and the streets were dark and cold. No one would be out walking in this part of town. A car passed by, its headlights bathing the street in a yellow glow, making the mist seem even thicker. She still didn’t see anyone. Something just felt... off? She shrugged and shivered, but whether it was from the cold or something else, she didn’t know.

She turned again and flung the door to the cafe open, sighing in the warmth. ”Helloooo Lucian, g’mornin boss!” She called out, waving to Lucian and Cassandra. She strode to the back and set her things down, not bothering to put them in a locker, and slipped on the rough, canvas, black and yellow striped apron she wore during work hours and grabbed a broom to sweep the front. She stopped in the kitchen and smiled at the two. They were, without a doubt, beautiful. They looked a little more like they belonged on a runway than a cafe. Well. Cassandra did. ”Lucian, um... You doin okay, man?” she said, frowning. He didn’t look bad, per se, just... duller than normal.”Need me to take care of anything over here?”

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Lucian gave Darcy a rueful smile, but shook his head. “Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, reaching inside of the cooler by the counter, and pulled a bottle of water from it. He twisted the top off, took a drink, and sighed softly. He really did need to get a good night's sleep. All the research he'd been doing last night wasn't bringing him any closer to the answers he wanted. But of course he couldn't share this with his employer nor his coworker. This was something he had to do, and no one else.

“Though I wouldn't mind any help with the counter. If you man the register today, I can take care of the cleaning and orders," he stated, glancing in Darcy's direction. Cassandra made a soft huffing noise, like she'd found something amusing, however; Lucian raised a brow in her direction. “What's so funny?" he asked in a curious manner. There weren't many things, he'd learned, in the shop that were in any form, amusing. Cass glanced in his direction and rolled her eyes.

“I wasn't amused; it's not amusing when you're out of sugar," she responded, giving him a flat stare. It was his turn to roll his eyes, and shook his head. “Hey, Darcy?" Cass called out, glancing in Darcy's direction. “Can you watch the store with Luc? I need to make a quick run to dad's," she spoke, causing a ghost of a smile to cross Lucian's face. She spoke of her own father as if he was their father too. It was like her to think of it as a small family, but he supposed he didn't mind.

“And Luc, behave yourself while I'm gone, okay?"

She didn't have to tell him that.

Rashid watched as the snow-haired woman exited the café, and head in the direction he knew his roommates to be in. It wasn't hard to know they'd left the inn when he had trackers on them. But he supposed that was just a byproduct of his abilities. It was mainly the reason the Council assigned him as part of the group. Each individual, different as they were, were all under the Council's watchful eye. Especially the le Valnosia woman. She was believed to be a dangerous entity, sentenced to eternal slumber for her crimes, but Rashid didn't really care much about that. He was, by far, the oldest member of the coven, and whatever deeds or crimes she, or the others, committed, were none of his business.

As long as they received results for their mission, that's all that mattered to him. So, he allowed his feet to carry him in the direction of the café, and entered the shop with a bit of confused smile. The pink-haired man Rashid saw earlier, was no where to be seen, however; he spotted a peculiar woman behind the counter. Dark-haired, fair-skinned, and grey-eyed. She couldn't have been younger than twenty, but the sort of youth she exude was one of someone who'd seen her fair share of hard work. Rashid supposed he could appreciate that kind of fulfillment in a human. He'd, after all, forgotten what it actually felt like to work. So many years have been lost to him, but he wasn't going to complain. He had nothing but time, and he would go at his own pace to live a fulfilled life.

“Hello Miss," he greeted, smiling in a way that made him not as threatening as he could be. He wasn't here to scare anyone, after all. He just wanted to know why she, and the other two people he'd seen, smelled so... nice. Maybe it was something in the water around here?

The chiming of the bell in the General Store signaled the arrival of a new person. If Selene and Vicentius looked, they would have noticed a young woman with snow-like hair, enter the building. She seemed lost in thought since her lips were pursed thinly and her brows were furrowed. It looked like she was chewing the bottom of her lip in a thoughtful manner, but when she glanced in their direction, she blinked in mild surprise.

“Oh, did you need help with anything? I'm sure Mr. Aldric would be more than willing to help you if you did," she stated, smiling in their direction. A throat being cleared, however, managed to catch her attention.

“You know you're not supposed to help when you've your own business to run, Cassandra," the newcomer spoke. He was older, perhaps in his early sixties from the looks of him, but he wore a gentle smile in Cassandra's presence. She chuckled softly and shook her head.

“You've customers to attend to, dad. I'll go make myself un-useful elsewhere," she stated, placing a hand on his shoulder before turning away. Mr. Aldric, however, turned towards Selene and Vicentius, grey eyes narrowed, and tilted his head as if he were trying to study both of them.

“Is there something I can help you with?"

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Selene looked over her shoulder and her eyes held a distinct notion of disgust and irritation. She hated people telling her what to do or not to do. It is tripled when the person saying it was someone she doesn't like at all. All of those negatives concentrated into one entity whose name was Vicentius Caelum. "You want to die don't you Blue Boy?" Her voice did not hide her irritation. Her expression also did not hide her disdain. She was well acquainted with his Clan. They were an annoying bunch. VERY MUCH.

"Never touch me." Selene was not going to end it with just words as tendrils of black slowly came out of her fingers. BUT. This was immediately stopped when a scent entered through the store without any ceremony. It quickly took her attention which was followed by a voice. The scent apparently came from a snow-white haired woman, a clear contrast to her night black hair. Her eyes narrowed in curiosity and slowly the corner of lips lifted. It seemed this town was not a lost cause. Moreover, the odd scent she picked up was the same as this newcomer girl.

Completely forgetting Vicentius at the moment, Selene moved forward to reach for the snow-white haired girl. But, she was blocked by the appearance of an old man. She could care less about the store. She was more interested in that girl with a peculiar scent. "Get---."

"Do you have hypoallergenic pillows?" Timely or perhaps a coincidence, Athanasios entered the conversation. His eyes did not even look at Selene or Vicentius. He was focused on the fact of his pillows. He needed to ensure having a good sleep. Frankly, that is really what matters to him in the end. The rest is just other matters that can be dealt with once he is done with his sleeping affairs.

"Scented candles too." Athanasios' face was completely at ease and despite being Selene's guardian who seemed willing to get herself into trouble at every turn, he was more concerned about ensuring he would have a good sleep. "I couldn't find any on the displays." It was at that point he lifted his gaze and saw his so-called ward and Vicentius. There was not a sparkle though in his jeweled blue eyes. "Did you find anything you like? and Hello Vic."

That was also when Athanasios finally took heed of his surroundings. When he is focused on sleeping, he does not care for those around him, so it was only when he noticed a lingering scent that entices. "Something smell nice." He followed his nose and noticed a white-haired girl. "You should wear that perfume, Val."

Athanasios noted nonchalantly while Selene could only release another frustrated sigh. She was surrounded by idiots. If it was like this, she would have not minded sleeping for eternal. The standard of what is being a Vampire has surely dropped in her slumber. "You are impossible! Stop your shopping and be useful! Take that girl!" She angrily spatted at him who was still nonchalant as ever. "This is important more than that scent. If you want, you should ask her where she buys her perfume." This was really impossible. The Council must have wanted to punish her with sheer annoyance. "Idiot. You are really an idiot." She could only cover her face in embarrassment for being acquainted with him while this was followed by laughter.

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Vicentius was not ignorant of Selene's malevolence towards him. He is quite aware of the grudge that had been staked towards his clan. He will not be spared from that especially when he is in the middle of it after all. He would just take it in stride though. The only thing that he cannot set aside is the tendency of this so-called villainous woman to do whatever she wishes without care for the results it could have. He could already see how prepped she is to display how much different she is from the humans living here without knowledge of their kind. "Val, st-." He stopped midsentence because a scent entered the store. His golden eyes landed on a woman with hair like snow.

He wasn't able to respond with the white-haired girl's question. Instead, he was analyzing that scent which was originating from her. Unlike him who just stay still when accosted with something unknown, Selene was not the same at all. She was ready to pounce on the elderly man who in her mind was an obstacle to find out the reason for the scent. It was a good thing Athanasios intervened whether that was intentional or not, the guy was on the dot. But, it seemed Athanasios was not particularly bothered by the scent unlike him and Selene is. "Is he immune?"

All Athanasios cared for were pillows and some scented candles but that was to be expected. After airing the concern with the storekeeper it seems, he finally noticed them. "Yes, Good morning Cross." Vicentius felt all the tension just washed away. It also seemed that his prior guess about the guy being immune was not entirely true. That is because Athanasios asked about it in a more openly way. The guy really is not really fitting for stealth missions that one is for certain. He even prodded Selene with a suggestion.

Then, an entertaining exchange happened between the two. Vicentius could not help but laugh. He covered his mouth to stifle its volume but the pair does have a future as a comedy routine in the future. "My apologies." He managed to squeeze out once his mirth settled down. He then looked at the storekeeper. "I am sorry about this as well good sir. My family is a bit rowdy. I hope you excuse them. Ah, can you get what my dear brother Cross here wants and possibly add some candies for our rather ill-tempered princess." He smiled at the old man and then cast a glance at the snow-white haired lady and if she looks, he would offer a polite smile.

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Cassandra was not deaf; she could hear the strangers in her father's store talking about her. The only thing she didn't understand was the smelling nice schtik. Subconsciously, she took a deep breath, inhaling the scents around her. She couldn't smell herself, but there wasn't anything that smelled particularly nice—not even the scented candles that her father kept. Pushing the thought from her mind, she smiled idly as her father dealt with the strangers.

“No need to apologize," he spoke, offering the family a smooth smile. It was a strained smile, but she knew her father meant well. He just wasn't particularly good at expressing his more genteel side. “I will have one of the others bring you your desired items. If you'll excuse me," he continued, his eyes narrowing in a suspicious manner before taking his leave. He made his way towards Cassandra, her eyes meeting the pale-blue haired man for a moment. He smiled politely towards her, and Cassandra responded in kind.

It was the polite thing to do, and there was nothing awkward about it. “Cassie," her father stated, causing her smile to broaden at him. “You don't have another shipment until later this week; what brings you here so early?" he asked. Her brows furrowed slightly as her lips pursed slightly.

“I ran out of sugar. I need at least a twenty five pound bag to last me until the next shipment. I figured I'd just come pick it up, now," she replied, hearing a soft sigh escaping his lips. “I can come back later if it's an inconvenient time," she stated, allowing her eyes to drift back to the strangers. They were really nice-looking. She wouldn't go so far as to say attractive; Cass had her own ideas of what was considered attractive. It was probably the reason why people often looked at her strangely when she voiced such things, which was why she wasn't going to do that now.

“Wait here while I go get you the bag," he finally spoke, bringing Cass's attention back to him. She smiled brightly at him.

“I'm not going anywhere." She wanted to browse the aisle's to see what was new.Lucian narrowed his eyes with concern. “Are you alright, Darcy?" he asked, coming around the corner. “Let me see your hand before you do anything else. Can you give us just a moment?" he asked the Rashid. Rashid, eyes slightly wide, nodded his head.

“Of course. The young lady is injured and must be tended to. I can wait," he replied. She wasn't bleeding, but the burn was enough to make a small welt on her hand. Rashid was almost tempted to see if he could make it bleed, however; he could bide his time. Perhaps he could find a way to get a sample from her, and the pink-haired man. There was something familiar about this Lucian character, but Rashid had never taken it upon himself to remember faces. Only if they were of some use to him one way or another.

Lucian's concern seemed genuine enough as he examined Darcy's hand. Sighing through his nose, he released her hand after his inspection and stared through pursed lips. “You should be more careful, Darc. That could have been a seriously bad burn for you. Go rinse it under cold water for now so that it doesn't swell too much."

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Athanasios was entirely indifferent from Selene's tantrums or Vicentius' laughter. The thing that rang to him is the description of 'BROTHER'. He was called Vicentius' brother which is rather odd. They do not remotely look alike even a little when it comes to physical traits. But, it was the word given to humans in this shop. That means he just needs to go with the flow. As to how they became related, he would leave that to Vicentius. That is not his concern.

"Thank you." Athanasios said after the elder man answered that the items he asked would be given. That was a priority that is complied with and so his focus drifted to another issue. It was the scent that seemed to beholden his peers especially Selene. It was an enticing scent but his attention was on another matter. For now, it would just be a fleeting notion he set aside.

"Vic." Athanasios called and then pointed at the pile of stuff that he got from the store. Once he has Vicentius' attention, he pointed at it with his usual blank face. "Pay for it, Big Brother." In his calm and deadpan voice, he declared it without hesitation. He did bring his wallet but there was no money.

Selene sighed hearing that response. She has no idea why this guy was assigned to her. She did not join the conversation between the two or did she care about the shenanigan of them being brothers or family. That was not her concern and instead focused her attention on the white-haired girl that has a peculiar scent. In her memory, she can assume a few things about what it means and the reasons were the one that made her awfully curious. Her vermillion red eyes darkened which reflected her interest. She made her way towards the girl but before she could take a second step, another hand touched her this time, holding her hand as if it was the most normal thing.

"Hey---. Huh? What are you doing?" The one holding Selene's hand was Athanasios. It was not revolting as it was with Vicentius but they were not that close for such gestures but what came out of his lips was more surprising. "I can't leave my twin alone." The word TWIN replayed inside her head, over and over again. She was clearly stupefied by that statement but the one who said was completely calm like it made sense when it really does not.

"You really are an idiot!" Selene tried to take back her hand but Athanasios would not budge at all. He was like a wall that she cannot help but click her tongue. "Are you not even curious? Even a bit?" She reasoned out. She was certain that he knew what she was about to do. Despite the guy being someone she can never understand, the guy does his job rather well which was a wonder. "That is why we are here. But." His hold tightened and she cannot help but look at him with a serious gaze.

"I am hungry. I want cake." Selene felt the blood in her head boiling and then it exploded as she hit Athanasios' head in anger with her free hand.

"Don't make that face you SWEET TOOTH MONSTER!" Athanasios remained indifferent in his expression even when a bump was starting to form on his head. Selene's strength is still something after all. "If you want to eat! Eat, don't involve me! Find some cafe or something." She said loudly while taking back her hand forcefully. It was truly a rowdy morning inside the General Store. "Let me go!" He remained completely calm as he then patted her head like a child nonchalantly with his free hand while not letting her go. "Eat first, okay?" She finally stopped and bit her lower lip as silence descended. "....Fine. Where are we eating..."

Athanasios finally looked at the white-haired girl's direction. "Where is your shop?" He was calm as always.